“On October 31, 1984, we were watching TV news on the demise of Indira Gandhi. On November 1, 1984, when I stepped out to look for my goat, I saw accused Sajjan Kumar addressing the crowd and saying hamari ma maar di. Sardaro ko maar do (Our mother was killed. Kill the Sikhs). I quickly returned home and told the same to the neighbourhood. Then we climbed to the second floor and hid our family and children at night. The whole night we remained there,” Kaur told District Judge Poonam A Bamba.

She added: “On 02.11.1984…My son Kapoor Singh and my father Sardarji Singh were pulled out of the hiding place on second floor, beaten badly and thrown down from the roof… Even I was assaulted and suffered injury on the right side of my forehead… I still have the scar.”

During the proceedings, Kaur also identified Kumar, who was present in the court. “I could recognise the accused Sajjan Kumar, as we used to visit him for help in making ration card and passport. We used to visit the accused for getting papers stamps as he was the MP/MLA,” she said.

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During cross questioning, the counsel for all accused persons asked whether any police person came to take her back to prepare the site plan. She said: “No police person came to take us to our house. Jab police wale hi mar rahe the toh police ne hame kya le jaana tha (When police were killing, then how could they have taken us).” When a question was put to her on whether she had named the 13 accused persons and not Sajjan Kumar, Kaur said: “It is correct that we had named… But it is wrong that we had not named Sajjan Kumar,” she said. The three accused in the case are facing trial on charges of murder and rioting in the case pertaining to killing of Surjit Singh in Sultanpuri.